Ayurvedic medicine, treatment and remedies for Pelvic Pain

Pelvic pain is known as kukshi shula in Ayurveda. Common causes of pelvic pain are dysmenorrhoea, pelvic inflammatory disease, constipation, UTI, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, appendicitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Men diagnosed with prostatitis can also experience pelvic pain.

Improper dietary habits and intake of vata-increasing habits are considered to be the major causative factors for pelvic pain and diseases like endometriosis, ovarian cysts and dysmenorrhoea. Pelvic pain may also occur due to vata-depletion. Women who experience pelvic pain during their menstrual cycle show symptoms of udavarta yoni vyapad (severe pain at the beginning of menstruation), menstruation with toda (pricking pain), bheda (cutting pain) and stambha (stiffness).

• Basti
  • The procedure of basti involves administration of a medicated decoction, paste or oil as enema in the large intestine.
  • This therapy is mostly performed in evenings on an empty stomach.
  • Enemas used for basti may either be oil-based enemas or decoction-based.
  • A diet including meat soups, rice gruel, lukewarm water and other light foods is given to the patient after undergoing basti.
  • Basti is useful in the treatment of dysmenorrhoea, UTI and ovarian cysts occurring in polycystic ovarian disease. It also helps regulate physiological functions in the pelvic area.
  • Uttara basti is given for the treatment of ovarian cysts; it helps regulate the nerve function of the pelvic organs.
  • Niruha and anuvasana basti are effectivein the treatment of dysmenorrhoea.
• Swedana
  • This procedure involves induction of sweating to alleviate heaviness, coldness and stiffness in the body.
  • Though it is a part of panchakarma therapy, swedana is given as an independent treatment for relieving vata-dominant conditions.
  • The decoctions and oils given for oleation liquefy toxins in the body, thereby promoting their elimination.
  • External or internal oleation might be performed before swedana therapy.
  • Swedana is effective in treating dysmenorrhoea. Therefore, it can provide relief from pelvic pain caused due to period pain.
• Abhyanga (oil massage)
  • In the Abhyanga procedure, medicated oils are applied to the desired/affected area and massaged in specific directions.
  • This procedure increases the number of antibodies and white blood cells in blood, thereby enhancing the innate defence mechanism of the body.
  • Abhyanga is known as a rejuvenating, preserving and protecting procedure.
  • It also promotes a feeling of lightness in the whole body by reducing stiffness and heaviness.
  • Abhyanga helps treat diseases as well as manage overall health.
  • Massaging the lower abdomen with sarsapa taila, tila taila or narayana taila for about 15 minutes followed by swedana helps provide relief from pelvic pain caused due to dysmenorrhoea.
  • Abhyanga is also useful in treating constipation.
• Yoni pichu
  • The pichu procedure involves soaking a cotton pad with herbal oils or medicines and placing it on the affected or desired area.
  • Kati pichu (pichu placed on the back), shiro pichu (pichu placed on the scalp region) and greeva pichu (pichu placed on the neck) are some types of pichu used in Ayurvedic medicine.
  • A pichu in the form of a vaginal tampon or yoni pichu is given with hingvadi taila or lukewarm tila taila before menstruation to treat dysmenorrhoea.
• Virechana (purgation)
  • The virechana process involves intake of herbs to eliminate aggravated doshas, specifically pitta and toxins through the rectal route.
  • This method is used to treat many health conditions including asthma, gastrointestinal tract conditions, skin disorders, epilepsy, jaundice, diarrhoea, excessive oleation and rectal prolapse.
  • A diet including warm and hot foods along with internal oleation might be administered before undergoing virechana.
  • Virechana is effective in relieving constipation. As constipation is one of the symptoms of IBS, virechana may also help improve IBS.

Ayurvedic herbs for pelvic pain

• Nirgundi
  • Nirgundi is used to treat dysentery, irritable bladder, rheumatism, skin conditions, bloody discharge from the bowel, inflammatory joint swellings, malaria, headache and piles.
  • It has pain-relieving, diuretic, aromatic, antiparasitic and nervine properties.
  • Nirgundi is effective in the management of endometriosis and helps in relieving pelvic pain caused due to this condition.
  • You can take nirgundi in the form of a paste with sugar water or honey, decoction, fruit powder, poultice, tincture, powder or as per your physician’s direction.
• Amalaki
  • Amalaki acts on the excretory, circulatory and digestive systems.
  • It has aphrodisiac, nervine, rejuvenating, laxative, astringent and stomachic properties. It also reduces blood sugar levels and increases red blood cell count.
  • Amalaki is used to treat conditions like hepatitis, osteoporosis, piles, mental disorders, spleen weakness and diabetes.
  • It is also helpful in treating UTIs and reliving pelvic pain due to urinary infections.
  • You can take amalaki in the form of a sweet, powder, decoction or as per your physician’s direction.
• Eranda
  • Eranda has nervine, analgesic and purgative properties, and it acts on the nervous, excretory, urinary and digestive systems.
  • It is effective in the management of lumbago, enlarged liver, constipation, rheumatism, sciatica, nervous disorders, fevers and painful joints.
  • Castor oil is one of the primary herbs that are used for treating vata-related disorders, irritable conditions and inflamed bowel. It also provides relief from dysmenorrhoea.
  • You can take eranda in the form of paste, cold or hot infusion, powder or as per your physician’s direction.
• Ativisha (Indian atees)
  • Ativisha has aphrodisiac, digestive and stomachic properties. It acts on the respiratory, immune and digestive systems.
  • This herb provides relief from oedema, piles, indigestion, acute inflammation, debility, liver conditions, chronic fevers and diarrhoea.
  • It is also beneficial in treating prostatitis.
  • You can take ativisha in the form of powder, tincture, decoction or as per your physician’s direction.
• Musta (nutgrass)
  • Musta is mainly used to treat candida and yeast infections.
  • It has stimulant, antirheumatic, aphrodisiac, antifungal and stomachic properties.
  • Conditions such as gastritis, convulsions, bloody stools, dysmenorrhoea, breast tumours and high blood pressure can also be relieved by regular administration of this herb.
  • As it is useful in treating diarrhoea, one of the symptoms of IBS. It also relieves pelvic pain caused due to IBS
  • You can take musta in the form of powder, decoction or as per your physician’s direction.

Ayurvedic medicines for pelvic pain

• Shiva gutika
  • Shiva gutika is prepared from pippali (long pepper), maricha (black pepper), sesame oil, twak (cinnamon), katuka (kutki), shilajatu (asphaltum), shunthi (dried ginger), ela (cardamom), nagakesara (Indian rose chestnut), sugar and other ingredients.
    
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  • It has rasayana (rejuvenating), analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
  • This medicine is primarily indicated in the treatment of various yoni rogas (vaginal diseases), pradara (vaginal discharge) and arbuda (tumours).
  • Shiva gutika is also helpful in the treatment of pelvic inflammatory diseases, which is usually associated with pelvic pain. 
• Dashamoola kwatha
  • Dashamoola kwatha is a decoction prepared from various herbal ingredients including kashmari (Malay beechwood), gokshura (small caltrops), bilwa (golden apple), patla (fragrant padri tree), agnimantha (headache tree). 
  • This medicine is primarily indicated for hikka (hiccups), vatavyadhi (diseases caused due to the aggravation of vata) and pakshaghata (paralysis) treatment.
  • Dashamoola kwatha is also used to treat dysmenorrhoea.
• Abhayarishtam
  • This herbal formulation consists of 11 ingredients including pippali, jaggery, vidanga (false black pepper), haritaki (chebulic myrobalan), amalaki and other herbs.
  • It is indicated in the treatment of skin conditions, piles, worm infestations, anaemia, heart diseases, fevers and oedema.
  • It can also provide relief from pelvic pain caused due to dysmenorrhoea and constipation.
• Chandraprabha vati
  • Chandraprabha vati is prepared from vidanga, triphala (a combination of amalaki, vibhitaki [belleric myrobalan], and haritaki), ativisha, trikatu, (a combination of the three acrids – pippali, shunthi and maricha), bhringraj (bhangra) and various other herbs.
  • This medicine is primarily indicated for urinary calculi, urine incontinence, genitourinary conditions, diabetes, spermatorrhoea, urinary infection, albuminuria and leucorrhoea.
  • It is also used to treat UTIs.
  • You can take chandraprabha vati with honey, brihatyadi kashayam, milk or as per your physician’s direction.

As treatments vary according to numerous factors and an individual’s prakriti (constitution), consult a qualified Ayurvedic doctor for the appropriate medications and treatments for your specific complaints.

Do’s

• Take warm water baths
• Perform fomentation with dashamoola decoction, heating pad or hot water
• Practice yoga asanas like bhadrasana, shalabhasana, pranayama and bhujangasana on a regular basis.
• Take complete mental and physical rest
• Consume buttermilk and soup prepared from ghee (clarified butter) and rice
• Include foods like papaya, grapes, ginger, milk, mustard oil, mint, sugarcane, coriander, mustard seeds, radish, sesame oil, asafoetida, drumstick, peanut oil, cinnamon, chicken and meat soup, black pepper, cumin and cloves in your diet.
• Eat warm foods

Don’ts

• Do not consume cold and heavy foods that are difficult to digest like maida
• Do not eat foods that might cause constipation and abdominal distention like an excess of raw vegetables, legumes and chickpeas
• Avoid overexposure to cold air
• Do not take a bath with cold water
• Do not stay awake at nights
• Do not walk or exercise excessively
• Do not suppress natural urges such as urination, adhovata (passing of gas) and purisha (defecation)

In a clinical study, shiva gutika was given to 15 women diagnosed with pelvic inflammatory disease twice a day with honey for a total period of 60 days. At the completion of treatment, significant relief was reported in lower backache, period pain and abdominal pain. The study concluded that shiva gutika could be recommended for the management of pelvic inflammatory disease as it clinically controlled the infection and efficiently reduced disease-related symptoms.

Ayurvedic medicines and treatments are considered to be completely safe for use. However, depending on individual prakriti, not every medicine suits every person equally well. For eg.

• Abdominal pain, tympanitis, reverse peristalsis, distension of abdomen, renal colic and pressing pain can occur due to improper expulsion of toxins during basti.
• Amalaki may cause diarrhoea in people with pitta dosha.
• Musta might aggravate vata and cause constipation.
• People with intestinal infections, dysuria, kidney and bladder conditions, and jaundice should not consume eranda (castor) oil.
• Children, elderly, and weak and tired people should not undergo virechana. Inadequate purgation might cause flatulence, gripping pain, and dyspnoea.

Hence, it is always advisable that you take these medicines under the supervision of a doctor and avoid self-medication at all costs.

Pelvic pain is a discomforting condition, which may arise due to various underlying disorders including UTIs, constipation and IBS. Ayurvedic herbs and medicines reduce pelvic pain by treating these underlying conditions and promoting good health. Panchakarma procedures of swedana and abhyanga promote pain relief and help improve blood circulation in the pelvic region. Most ayurvedic medicines and treatments are considered to be entirely safe and devoid of any side effects; however, it is best to consult an ayurvedic doctor before taking any herb at home. This ensures safety and aids in quick recovery.